


In New York You Can Be A New Man

by Twackycat



Series: The Other Fifty-One [2]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Charles Lee is a dick, Gen, Reincarnation, The Other 51 Challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-26
Updated: 2017-12-26
Packaged: 2019-02-21 21:44:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13152645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Twackycat/pseuds/Twackycat
Summary: Alex arrives in New York and gets to meet his foster father. It doesn't go quite like he expected.





	In New York You Can Be A New Man

Alex looked down at the paper in his hand one more time as he took a deep breath and shouldered his backpack. He reverently folded the paper and slipped it into his back pocket along as he glanced around the room aboard the ship, checking for the fifth time that he had all of his belongings. Certain he had all of his measly possessions, Alex hurried out of the room, locking it as he left.

Alex scrambled into the rapidly closing elevator, and ignored the other occupants as he giddily bounced on the balls of his feet. He could feel the glare he was getting from the other passenger, but the butterflies fliting around in his stomach distracted him to the point where he didn’t care. The doors dinged open and he was out as soon as they were wide enough for him to scrape through.  

He ignored the grumbled complaints behind him as he grabbed both straps of his backpack and darted through the crowd, only slowing as the passengers were bottlenecked to get off the boat. Alex bit his lip as his eyes scanned the hundreds of people milling about the docks, some rushing towards their destinations, some strolling along hand in hand with their partners. Of course there was also the stationary group that was gathered at the base of the off ramp, waiting for passengers on the ship. Alex’s heart leapt a little when he saw the group, somewhere in there was his foster father as well as his social worker, people who cared about him.

A glimpse of a less crowded dock flashed in his mind, and he grit his teeth. This was not the time for that sort of thing. He didn’t want to have the magic of this day be undermined by constantly reminded that everything seemed to be repeating itself. He wrote his way here, and he was going to forge his own path, different from whoever Alexander Hamilton was.

Slowly but surely he was able to creep down the ramp to the shore, his eyes widening as he realized how tall everyone else is. They hadn’t seemed that tall when he was on the ship or coming down the ramp, but now he looked directly into everyone’s chests, having to tilt his head up to see anyone’s faces. Alex knew he was short for his age, but this was just ridiculous. He tried jumping a time or two, trying to get a glimpse above the crowd, but quickly realized that it was futile, he didn’t know who he was looking for.

“Alex!” Alex immediately perked up at the sound of his name, and his gaze swept the little bit of the crowd he could see until he spotted a man who was fighting his way towards him. Alex held his ground against the flow of the crowd and waited for the man to reach him, hoping that he wasn’t making a mistake allowing the stranger to approach. Eventually the other man got close enough to see that he had a piece of paper with Alex Hanson written largely on it.

“Alex Hanson, I’m Michael Dunbar, I’m your social worker.” Alex immediately beamed up at the man, but his smile slid a little as he glanced around, not seeing anyone who appeared to be with Michael. His social worker immediately noticed, and gently placed a hand on Alex’s shoulder as he began to guide him gently away from the still massive crowd. “I’m sorry kiddo, but Chuck isn’t here. He called me this morning when he found out that he was called into work. He asked me to pick you up and take you to his office.”

Alex nodded even as he felt his chest start to constrict slighting. He knew that his foster father had to be busy, but it didn’t stop the hurt he felt that he wasn’t here to pick him up. Alex stayed silent as Michael guided him to the edge of a busy street and flagged down a taxi. He continued his silence despite Michael’s several awkward attempts to start a conversation. Eventually he was ushered out of the taxi and into the base of a skyscraper so tall he could barely see the top of it when he threw his head all the way back.

Michael briefly talked to the receptionist at the desk before she waved them towards the elevator, which ended with Alex clutching his backpack to his chest as he stood a foot away from his social worker. The elevator music that played softly only made the ride even more awkward. When the doors opened, Michael led him to a large set of wooden double doors. Alex jumped slightly when a hand suddenly appeared on his shoulder, looking up at Michael, he couldn’t help but smile a little in response to the other man’s smile.

“I know this isn’t how you were expecting the day to go, but I’m sure that everything will be smooth sailing from now on.” Alex looked away as Michael said that. He hope with all of his heart that was how it was going to be, but his mind screamed at him that nothing good ever lasted, especially not for him. “Alex, look at me.” Michael’s voice was kind but stern, and Alex lifted his eyes towards the man. “And if anything does go wrong, here is my number. Call me, and I will get you out immediately.”

Michael then knocked sharply on the door, waiting until a voice from inside called for them to come in. The social worker went first, and Alex could hear him being greeted warmly by the man waiting on the other side. Alex looked down at the slightly crumpled paper in his hand, quickly memorizing the number written there. He had a feeling that if things were going to go wrong, he wouldn’t have the time to look for the paper.

Someone calling his name jerks him out of his thoughts. Alex took a deep breath and pushed the large, heavy door open, keeping his head down as he entered. He heard a sharp intake of air, followed by an oppressive silence. It was broken by Michael’s confusion.

“Chuck?” The silence was gone, but the tension was not. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, just wasn’t expecting to see an old war buddy.” Alex tensed slightly at that, trying to push away the memories of terrible fighting conditions and the screams of men writhing on the ground in agony after having been shot.

“That’s not going to be a problem, is it?” Alex wasn’t sure if the question was directed at him so he stayed silent.

“No problem at all.” Chuck’s voice sent a shiver down his spine, and he almost glanced up at the man, but he wanted to push off learning more about Alexander Hamilton as long as he could.

“Alex?” The young boy risked a look towards his social worker. “Are you okay with this?” Alex could see the concern in Michael’s eyes and he bit his lip while internally debating whether he was okay with living with someone from his past life. He really wanted to say no and run away from his past, but he didn’t want to mess up his chances here. Besides Chuck had called them buddies.

“I’m okay with it, besides he’ll understand and might be able to help with my nightmares.”  Michael stared at him for a second, trying to decide if he should leave the boy in Chuck’s care, Eventually he pushed away the uncertainty he felt, after all he’d known Chuck for years now and he trusted him.

“Okay Alex” The boy flinched a little  when the social workers placed his hand n his shoulder, though the adult ignored it. “Don’t hesitate to call me.” Alex nodded and returned his gaze to the ground as the hand was lifted. “I have to go now, but I’ll see you in a week to see how everything is working out.

Alex kept his gaze on the ground as he listened to Michael’s fading footsteps. The giant wood door slammed close leaving the other two standing in silence. After a second Alex could hear Chuck’s footsteps as he slowly circled Alex. The boy’s stomach dropped, because without seeing the other man, he knew their history together wasn’t a good one.

For a second Alex considered bolting, tearing after Michael and demanding a different placement. All thoughts of that were stopped in their tracks when a large hand landed heavily on his shoulder. Chuck’s fingers clamped down, digging into Alex’s shoulder hard enough that it was going to leave a bruise.

“Hamilton.” Alex tensed at the sound of his previous life’s name, but didn’t rise to the bait, keeping his eyes firmly on the ground. “You little piece of shit.” Chuck was suddenly gripping Alex’s hair, yanking on it. “You will look at me when I’m speaking to you.”

A sharp tug on his hair forced his head back and Alex’s eyes with Chuck’s and memories flooded his mind. Charles Lee, the man was a coward who ran away from battle and then started spreading shit about their commanding officer. He’d been shot, but not killed, in a duel that Alex had been the second for the guy who shot Lee. Lee definitely deserved it.

Alex jerked himself out of Lee’s grasp, landing heavily on the floor gasping for breath as he tried to sort through the memories bombarding his mind. A cry escaped him when Lee roughly hauled him to his feet.

“Hamilton, I’m going to say this to you once. I’m only keeping you because I am getting paid to. If you put even one foot out of line, I will make your life more miserable than you and Laurens made mine last time. Got that?” Alex gave a shaky nod, and was pushed away from Lee as he stocked back towards the large desk at the back of the room.

Alex eyed Lee as he went back to work, only then moving towards the plush chair sitting across the room from the desk. He curled up in it, clutching his backpack to his chest as he did so. Alex wasn’t going to turn right back around and contact Michael after he’d just told him that everything was going to be fine, he could wait a week and then tell him. He’d survived a hurricane twice, he could live with Lee for a week.


End file.
